We love Eddie Murphy here at Digital Spy, but we have to admit that when he walked out of this year's Oscars hosting job in support of departing director Brett Ratner, we were more than delighted with his replacement.

Billy Crystal has hosted the Academy Awards a whopping eight times before, second only to Bob Hope's 18. Ahead of his ninth time behind the podium, we've rounded up six of our favourite moments from his previous stints.

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What the stars are thinking about (2000)
Even before Billy hits with the killer lines ("Oh this thong is killing me" is our fave), it's that transition from laughter-to-fear on each megastar's faces that we like most.

The Silence of Billy Crystal (1992)The Silence of The Lambs was one of the best movies of the 1990s, but it was still a shock when the ultraviolent masterpiece won 'Best Picture' in 1992. Even more wonderful though, was the opening skit when Billy met Anthony.

Billy Crystal 'introduces' Bob Hope (2011)
As Billy is second only to Bob in his Oscar-hosting stints, it was genuinely touching when he shared this special moment during last year's infamous James Franco/Anne Hathaway-presented year.

It's a wonderful night for Oscar (2004)
Before he stepped in this year, we feared that this might be Billy's last ever Oscars. A tried and trusted hand by this point, what's so striking about his 76th Academy Awards is how effortless he makes this wonderful song-and-dance variety turn seem.

In the beginning... (1990)
And by contrast, then a young, hip gunslinger of 42, Billy's debut as the Oscars host finds him in a much purer stand-up mode. He kicks off with a dig at the previous year's failure of Snow White/Rob Lowe's take on 'Proud Mary'. Then he starts cracking wise at the expense of the stars and system. "Wow!" he says at his own lines. "Where does he get 'em from?" Somewhere very special indeed.